Virtual cloud exchange system and method

Abstract

A Virtual Cloud Exchange (VCX) and method for establishing connectivity between a host computer in a customer network and a cloud service provider, includes a customer facing software defined network (SDN) switch; a cloud computing service facing SDN switch; and a processor executing instructions to generate a customer facing network routing virtual network function (VNF) and a cloud facing network routing VNF; and configure a first open virtual switch (vSwitch) and a second open vSwitch. The customer facing SDN switch generates a first overlay tunnel between the customer facing SDN switch and the first open vSwitch and the cloud facing SDN switch generates a second overlay tunnel between the cloud facing SDN switch and the second open vSwitch.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for establishing connectivity between a host computer in a customer network and a cloud service provider, the method comprising:
 providing a customer facing software defined network (SDN) switch and a cloud service provider facing SDN switch; 
 instantiating, with a processor, a customer facing network routing virtual network function (VNF) and a cloud facing network routing VNF; 
 configuring, with the processor, a first open virtual switch (vSwitch) associated with the customer facing network routing VNF and a second open vSwitch associated with the cloud facing network routing VNF; 
 generating with the customer facing SDN switch a first overlay tunnel between the customer facing SDN switch and the first open vSwitch; and 
 generating with the cloud facing SDN switch a second overlay tunnel between the cloud facing SDN switch and the second open vSwitch. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising instantiating, with the processor, one or more VNFs each based on requirements of a customer, entered at a portal using the host computer. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising bi-directional network address translating the customer facing network routing VNF and the cloud facing network routing VNF. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving IP routes for cloud services from a cloud service provider router, at the cloud facing network routing VNF through a first external Border Gateway Protocol session. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising filtering the IP routes for cloud services received at the cloud facing virtual router with an IP policy controller. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising advertising the IP routes for cloud services received at the cloud facing virtual router to the customer facing virtual router through an internal Border Gateway Protocol session. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising receiving the IP routes for cloud services from the customer facing virtual router, at a customer router through a second E-BGP session. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second overlay tunnels are Virtual Extensive Local Area Network (VxLAN) tunnels. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the VxLAN tunnels include a unique VxLAN Network Identifier ID corresponding to each tenant of the customer network. 
     
     
       10. A system for establishing connectivity between a host computer in a customer network and a cloud service provider, the system comprising:
 a customer facing software defined network (SDN) switch; 
 a cloud computing service facing SDN switch; and 
 a processor executing instructions to:
 instantiate a customer facing network routing virtual network function (VNF) and a cloud facing network routing VNF; and 
 configure a first open virtual switch (vSwitch) and a second open vSwitch; 
 
 wherein the customer facing SDN switch generates a first overlay tunnel between the customer facing SDN switch and the first open vSwitch; and 
 wherein the cloud facing SDN switch generates a second overlay tunnel between the cloud facing SDN switch and the second open vSwitch. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein system comprises Virtual Cloud Exchange. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a portal, wherein the processor executes further instructions to instantiate one or more VNFs each based on requirements of a customer, entered at the portal using the host computer. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to bi-directional network address translate the customer facing network routing VNF and the cloud facing network routing VNF. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to receive IP routes for cloud services from a cloud service provider router, at the cloud facing network routing VNF through a first external Border Gateway Protocol session. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to filter the IP routes for cloud services received at the cloud facing virtual router with an IP policy controller. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to advertise the IP routes for cloud services received at the cloud facing virtual router to the customer facing virtual router through an internal Border Gateway Protocol session. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to receive the IP routes for cloud services from the customer facing virtual router, at a customer router through a second E-BGP session. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second overlay tunnels are first and second Virtual Extensive Local Area Network (VxLAN) tunnels. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the VxLAN tunnels include a unique VxLAN Network Identifier ID corresponding to each tenant of the customer network. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor executes further instructions to deploy a Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) engine. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the LSO engine deploys a Networks Function Virtualization orchestrator that instantiates the customer facing network routing VNF and the cloud facing network routing VNF. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the LSO engine further deploys a VNF manager that manages the life cycle of the customer facing network routing VNF and the cloud facing network routing VNF. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the LSO engine further deploys a virtual infrastructure manager that manages a Networks Function Virtualization Infrastructure.